South Coast officer masturbated in front of female colleague

A former South Coast cop who pinched, slapped and flicked the backsides of his female colleagues, and masturbated in front of another, has been fined $7650 and handed a suspended jail sentence.

Four of the five women who brought complaints against Danijel Radosavljevic were his fellow police officers.

The 39-year-old was sentenced at Wollongong Local Court Thursday, having earlier pleaded not guilty to six charges resulting from events in 2010 and 2011.

Magistrate Susan McGowan found Radosavljevic guilty on all counts, including a charge of common assault (resulting from an unwanted massage) - and three charges of indecent assault; one for each of the women whose backsides he handled.

‘‘It was submitted ... that the flick of the backside, the slap and the pinch were playful encounters in the police station, and there was no intention by the offender to assault his colleague ...’’ Magistrate McGowan said.

‘‘However ... I disagree with that assessment and find the charges proven.’’

She reserved her most serious judgment for two acts of indecency, stemming from when Radosavljevic exposed his penis and masturbated before a female officer at Moruya Police Station.

The victim earlier gave evidence: ‘‘I was scared that he was going to try and force it to a new level’’.

Magistrate McGowan confessed to ‘‘wavering’’ in sentencing for the two charges, having found the question of whether to imprison Radosavljevic a difficult one.

‘‘[The victim] was vulnerable ... it was at her workplace, it was late at night, she was alone,’’ Magistrate McGowan said.

The court heard Radosavljevic had lost his job as a result of the charges, and his marriage - already ‘‘faltering’’ had since ended.

Magistrate McGowan considered references from Radosavljevic's new employer and heard he was a respected member of his church congregation.

She fined Radosavljevic $2500 for each charge of committing an act of indecency and imposed a nine month prison sentence on each, to be suspended on condition of good behaviour.

Further fines imposed by the court include $400 (common assault) and $2250 ($750 for each indecent assault).